“Yeah, I’m back”: Daniel Ricciardo is raring to go after his F1 comeback was announced by Red Bull and AlphaTauri

Daniel Ricciardo has replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri and will return to the F1 grid after the Hungarian GP next week.

After a difficult stint at McLaren in 2022, the Australian decided to take a break from the frontlines of the sport. Ricciardo joined his old team, Red Bull, as a reserve and simulator driver. Now, after half a season, the 34-year-old has been given the opportunity to return to the grid on the reigning world champion's sister team, replacing struggling rookie De Vries.

In a recent interview after his Pirelli tyre test with Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo started by discussing his time in the RB19 around the Silverstone circuit. The 8-time race winner felt that he got up to speed quickly clocked in some good laps. He also thanked Red Bull team boss Christian Horner for always believing in him.

"Yeah, I'm back! To get back in a car is one thing, but to get back in the Red Bull was another. And yeah, I feel like I got up to speed pretty quick. Christian [Horner] was pretty content. I think he is always been a firm believer in me," he said.

Daniel Ricciardo also expressed how excited he was to return to F1 with AlphaTauri. The Australian mentioned that he is currently on loan to the team until the end of the 2023 F1 season.

"I'm stoked to go back on the grid. I'll be on loan to AlphaTauri until the end of the year. I mean, after doing the test today, of course, I feel ready and can't wait so...staying in the family," he said.

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AlphaTauri team principal is delighted to have Daniel Ricciardo on board

AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost stated that he is delighted to welcome Daniel Ricciardo to AlphaTauri.

Tost praised the Australian driver for winning eight races in his career and believes that he will integrate into the team seamlessly.

"I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team. There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straight forward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner," he said in an official press release.

Tost also thanked Nyck de Vries for all his contributions to the team and wished him all the best for his future.

"I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time with Scuderia AlphaTauri and I wish him all the best for the future," he added.